


For A Thousand More

by Sxymami0909



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Cemetery, Established Relationship, F/M, Friendship/Love, Gen, Ghosts, Stilinski Family Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-16
Updated: 2014-12-16
Packaged: 2018-03-01 18:46:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2783867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sxymami0909/pseuds/Sxymami0909
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles thinks she would have been happy for them, probably more so than anyone one else considering all those late afternoon conversations over baking chocolate chip cookies. (Title from ‘A Thousand Years’ by Christina Perri)</p>
            </blockquote>





	For A Thousand More

Claudia Stilinski stood in front of the kitchen sink glancing out the window, a small smile gracing her lips as she watched her 7-year-old son hop off the school bus. She stepped away from the sink when she caught sight of him running across the front lawn towards the side entrance of the house.

Claudia walked over to the cabinet, opened it and pulled out a mixing bowl and a measuring cup. She made her way over to the small, round kitchen table and put the bowl and cup down. She glanced at the rest of the ingredients that she’d taken out earlier; checking to make sure everything they needed was there.

The door burst open seconds later, her out of breath son stumbling into the kitchen and slamming the door closed behind him. “Mom! I’m home!” Stiles shouted before spotting his mother a few feet in front of him. He grinned sheepishly and shifted his arms sliding the straps of his back pack off and tossing it on the floor by the door. “Hi,” he walked over to her pausing by the table, curiosity filling his deep brown eyes, “What’s this?” He asked gripping the edge of the table.

Claudia grinned, “Hey Sweetie, these are ingredients. I thought maybe before your homework tonight we could make some chocolate chip cookies. What do you think?” She asked tilting her head to the side, strands of her strawberry blonde hair falling out of the bun piled on her head.

Stiles’ face lit up, “Yes! I love chocolate chip cookies! And I can tell you what happened at school today!” he said excited as he started to pull out the chair so he could sit.

Claudia rested a hand on his shoulder, “Hey, did you grow up in a barn,” she teased gently poking at his side, “Go wash those hands and then meet me back in here.”

Stiles giggled and then nodded before taking off out of the kitchen at speeds a small child should probably not be running.

Claudia heard him bump into something before shouting ‘I’m fine’ and heading to the bathroom. She shook her smiling affectionately at her overactive son. She knew Stiles could be a bit much for some people, but not her. There was no one she loved more than her son, though his father was a close second. She was pulled from her thoughts when the sound of sneakers sliding against the kitchen floor sounded. She smiled, “All ready?” She asked while pulling out one of the chairs and taking a seat.

Stiles nodded as he tugged the chair beside her out and plopped down in it. “Yup ready, hey can we make some for Scott and his mom too?” He asked, wide eyes looking up at his mom.

Claudia nodded a warm smile pulling at her lips, “You absolutely can. We can make a whole batch just for them. We might have to split out cookie baking up into a few days though, what do you think?”

Stiles grinned, “I think that’s a few days with baking before homework!” He cheered.

Claudia chuckled and shook her head at her son’s antics as she reached for the flour and measuring cups. “So, tell me about your day,” she told him while handing him the cup and showing him how to measure the flour before placing it in the bowl.

Stiles took the measuring cup from his mom and shoved it into the bag as he spoke, “I met a girl,” he said shyly glancing over at his mom from under his long lashes. “She was transferred out of another class into mine and Scotts. She’s so beautiful,” he said with a wistful sigh.

Claudia bit the inside of her cheek at her son’s words as he got flour all over the table. “Beautiful huh? What’s this girl’s name?” She asked with a smile

“Lydia! Lydia Martin and mom she’s got hair just like yours!” He said with a wave of one hand, a bit more flour coating the table after that gesture. He dumped the cup in the bowl, “And she’s got these big green eyes and do you know what?” He asked.

“What?” Claudia inquired while taking the empty measuring cup from him and handing him the correct measuring spoon for the baking soda.

Stiles took the spoon his eyes still on his mom. “Her favorite color is lavender.” He grinned stupidly, “She was talking to a girl and told her and I heard!” He told her excitedly, spilling some of the baking soda that he’d just put in the spoon.

Claudia couldn’t help grinning at her son as she shook her head helping him get more baking soda on the spoon. “Really? That’s a lovely color. So, did you talk to her?” She asked lightly amused by her son’s obvious excitement.

Stiles froze, slowly craning his neck to look at his mom. “…Talk to her?” He asked eyes widening, “Mom I can’t just _talk_ to Lydia _Martin_. She’s pretty and smart and she loves lavender!” He exclaimed as if his statement held all the answers to the world.

Claudia’s brows drew together as she added a pinch of salt to the bowl of dry ingredients. “And we can’t talk to girls whose favorite color is lavender?” She asked confused.

“We can,” Stiles said with a sigh, “But not her. Because I need to know more first so I know what to talk about,” he explained while reaching into the bowl and poking at the flower, his small fingers sinking into the mixture. “She answered a lot of questions in class and she sits really straight and….she has a pretty smile.” He told his mom another silly grin pulling at his lips.

Claudia did her best not to laugh at the silly look on her son’s face. She couldn’t wait until Michael got home from the station so she could tell him their son had his first crush. “I see, well I’m sure you’ll talk to her soon.” She replied simply as she reached for the smaller bowl and the eggs so they could start working on the wet ingredients.

Stiles watched his mom shifting around bowls and cracking eggs and hit sucked his bottom lip into his mouth. “What should I say?” He asked quietly as he squirmed in his seat.

Claudia lifted a brow as she glanced sideways at her son. “Well, I would probably start off with ‘hi’,” she teased gently as she bumped his shoulder with hers affectionately.

Stiles rolled his eyes and grinned, “Yeah, but after that.”

Claudia tilted her head to the side a thoughtful expression on her face, “Well you said you thought she was smart, maybe you should tell her that,” she offered as she reached for a whisk and started to beat the eggs.

Stiles frowned, “What about her hair that’s really pretty too, she’s pretty.” He told his mom again as he reached for the big wooden spoon and used it to mix together the flour mixture.

Claudia pursed her lips trying to figure out a way to explain what she wanted to say in a way Stiles would understand. “Compliments are very nice, but I’m sure there are people who tell Lydia she’s pretty all the time. Girls don’t just want to be pretty. There are more important things than that. Like your father,” she said as she added the butter to the egg mix, “He didn’t marry me because I was pretty. He married me because he loves the way I laugh at his jokes, and that I read more books than we have room for and that I can make up stories at the drop of a hat,” she told  her son fondly.

“And I married your father because he isn’t just handsome, he’s a good man. He’s kind hearted and loyal, funny and my match in every way.” Claudia explained. “So when you finally talk to this Lydia, you tell her something real.” She offered, “You look at the small details, the little things that no one else notices or thinks are important, because those my darling, are the most important things of all.” She responded softly as she watched her son taking in her words.

Stiles was quiet for a minute before he nodded. “You’re right, Lydia isn’t just pretty. She’s special mom. She makes something funny happen to my heart. It beats really fast like when I play tag with Scott, but I’m not running at all! I’m just looking at her.” He said.

Claudia’s heart warmed at his words, “Well, then she’s very special indeed.” She was silent for a minute before reaching out and cupping her son’s cheek. “Do you have any idea how much I love you my little nugget?”

Stiles’ face brightened and he grinned ear-to-ear, “As much as I love you? The entire universe and beyond like billions of Star Wars light years?” He asked.

Claudia chuckled, “You betcha,” she said before leaning in and pressing a light kiss to his head. “Now come on let’s finish up these cookies so when your father gets home he can let us know if they’re good.”

Stiles laughed and nodded turning his attention back to stirring furiously as his mom mixed together the wet ingredients.

Claudia watched her son focusing at the task at hand and she couldn’t help smiling. Stiles was such a good natured boy and she loved how strongly he felt about things, how he put every bit of himself into everything he did. He was her favorite of this life she’d created for herself with Michael. And she couldn’t wait to see the kind of man he grew into.

 

______

 

The rest of the week went by quickly and every single day, Stiles came home with a new story about the strawberry blonde girl in his class. Claudia told her husband it was normal, all boys develop a crush at some point. She watched as Michael huffed about it at dinner, as Scott groaned while they tried to play and Stiles talked about Lydia the whole time. But not Claudia, she just listened.

And she learned more about the girl than she’d expected too. Lydia wasn’t just smart; she was exceptionally smart to the point where the teachers wanted to test her IQ. She didn’t just like lavender, but periwinkle too. She didn’t have any allergies and she loved Reese’s peanut butter cups. Her mother and father fought a lot and school was an escape for her. The day her son came home and told her that, her heart hurt for the girl who was just half a year older than Stiles and felt unwanted and worried her parents would split up. That night they made a batch of sugar cookies in varying shades of purple for Stiles to bring to school the next day.

Claudia was surprised when Stiles had come home earlier and was surprisingly quiet. He didn’t talk much after school and he was exceptionally quiet at dinner. She was actually a bit worried. So, as she tucked Stiles into bed for the night she was surprised when his voice broke the silence in the room.

“Mom, can I tell you a secret?” He asked the dim light of his nightlight casting a glow in the room as he glanced up at his mom with big eyes.

Claudia smiled and sat on the edge of his bed, “Always,” she told him as she ran a hand through his hair and then rested her hands at her side waiting for him to tell her.

Stiles studied his moms face as he lifted his hands out from under the covers and rested them on top of the comforter. “I love her mom, I love Lydia Martin and I’m going to marry her someday, just like daddy married you.”  He explained. “And you know what else?” He asked softly.

Claudia titled her head to the side a small smile tugging at her lips, “What?” She inquired.

“When we get married, I’ll make sure she doesn’t cry anymore, even if she’s still really pretty when she cries. I’ll make sure she knows how smart she is. How she always knows answers for the math problems on the worksheets when no one else does. And how kind she is when she thinks no one’s watching. I saw her share her lunch with a boy who had none and she even gave him her Reeses!” He told his mom eagerly.

“I’ll also make sure she knows she’s brave. Because I saw her yell at the big bully in the playground, the one who was mean to Scott that time because of his asthma. He made someone cry and Lydia went right up to him and yelled, she told him he was the stupid one and that he’s only mean to people because of something about frueds and how he’s trying to make himself feel better and uh something. But yeah, she just didn’t care at all that he was a bully.” He said before frowning.

“But I think he said something really mean to her. Because she flipped her hair over her shoulder, rolled her eyes and walked away. But when I went inside to finally talk to her…she was in the bathroom and I heard her crying.” He said softly. “So I snuck inside and I slid the cookies under the door…but then I hide.” He said sheepishly. “Lydia really liked the cookies though…they made her smile, the real kind of smile, the pretty one. The one I love.”

Claudia sat there, not able to help the emotion that built in her chest. She felt a slight hint of moisture in her eyes and she reached out and brushed her hand against Stiles’ cheek. “Lydia would be lucky to have a boy like you in her life. And I’m sure one day, you’ll get your chance and she’ll see how awesome my sweet, kindhearted, funny, handsome little boy is.” She told him with a watery smile.

Stiles smiled, “Thanks mom…are you okay?” worried because it looked like his mom might cry and he never wanted to make her cry.

“I’m perfect,” Claudia said warmly before leaning down and pressing a light kiss to Stiles’ forehead. She pushed herself up, “Have a good night sweetie, I love you.” She said as she walked over towards the bedroom door and paused there as Stiles shifted in bed.

“Night mom, I love you too.” He mumbled with a smile as she rested his head against the pillow and closed his eyes.

Claudia watched him snuggle into his sheets and her chest tightened as she rested a hand over her heart. Most people didn’t think children knew what love was. But Claudia…she knew her son and she could see the depth of his feelings in his eyes and the way he spoke. And she desperately hoped that Stiles got his chance to show that little girl just what love was. Claudia let out a soft sigh as she pulled the door shut behind her, once again wondering what her son’s future held and if it involved a certain strawberry blonde, brave cookie eater, hoping that it very much did.

 

______

 

Stiles squeezed her hand gently as he led her down the narrow walk space across the grass. He sent a sideways glance in her direction, “Don’t be nervous,” he told her softly, a small smile gracing his lips.

Lydia was nervous, she couldn’t help it. She and Stiles had been together for just over six months now and the other day he’d asked her if she’d go somewhere with him, somewhere important. And she hadn’t exactly been sure what to expect until they pulled up to the Beacon Hills Cemetery. “I can’t help it,” she admitted.

Logically Lydia knew there was no one really there, but this was Stiles’ mother. The woman he rarely talked about, but that held such a strong place in Stiles’ heart. The woman who could do no wrong in Stiles’ eyes. What if she didn’t like her? What if she’d been watching from the other side all these years and she’d seen how long it took Lydia to come around, to realize that she loved Stiles as much as he loved her? What if she thought Lydia wasn’t good enough?

“I can hear you thinking a mile a minute,” Stiles told her as they continued walking, “Lyds, everything is going to be fine. You have nothing to be nervous about I promise. I just,” he paused, brows drawing together, “There’s something I need to do.” He explained even though that wasn’t actually an explanation.

Lydia nodded and they walked a few more feet before she watched Stiles point to a gravestone. Her hand tightened on his gently as they walked forward stopping directly in front of the grave. Lydia’s chest tightened and she swallowed hard. She didn’t love being around death, she could feel it in her bones and the cemetery just made it worse, but this was important to Stiles and so it was important to her.

Stiles cleared his throat and smiled at the gravestone, “Hey mom,” his voice was soft and his chest tight. “I know I usually bring flowers when I visit, but this time I brought something a little different.” He glanced at Lydia his expression warming before he tugged her a bit closer and then looked back at the grave. “Mom, this is Lydia Martin…my girlfriend. You remember her don’t you?” He asked his heart clenching. 

“Remember me?” She asked confused, “Did I meet your mom before?” Lydia tried to remember if there was ever a time she caught sight of Claudia Stilinski and aside from the pictures in Stiles’ room, she didn’t remember ever seeing her.

Stiles glanced at Lydia and smiled, “I told her all about you when I was younger.” He admitted, “I pretty much talked about nothing but you for months.” He added sheepishly.

Lydia melted into Stiles’ side, “You did?” She asked softly a grin pulling at her lips.

Stiles nodded, “When you transferred into our class in third grade. You know…I told my mom,” he paused, his voice choking up a bit as he tried to control his emotions. He felt Lydia’s hand at his back rubbing into his skin and he continued voice hoarse, “I told her one night before bed that I loved you. I told her one day I was going to marry you…and I was going to tell you how smart and brave and amazing you are.” He gaze drifted to Lydia tears in his eyes. “And I just…I wanted her to know that I got my chance.”

Lydia couldn’t help the moisture that pooled in her eyes. “You told your mother you were going to marry me?” She asked softly and when he nodded her chest filled with warmth, “Why? Why me? You’ve loved me since third grade,” she said baffled, “Why?” She whispered the words as she faced him.

Stiles shifted so his body was facing hers and he cupped her cheek, “Because you Lydia Martin are the smartest, kindest, bravest, and most beautiful girl I’ve ever known and that hasn’t changed since we were seven years old.” He told her matter-of-factly. “Before you hid away this huge brain in high school, you were the smartest girl in our class. And you liked that about yourself…I did too,” he offered with a smile.

“And despite the fact that you want everyone to think you’re a bitch, I’ve seen you be kind. I’ve seen you share food with people when they had nothing. I’ve seen you leave money for the janitor, and buy anonymous Valentine ’s Day cards in school for girls who didn’t get any when we were young.” He arched a knowing eyebrow in her direction.

Lydia felt a tear slid down her cheek at his words and then felt him brush it away. She opened her mouth to say something, but he silenced her with a finger to her lips.

“I’ve seen you be brave and stand up to people who hurt other’s even when you’re hurting yourself. I’ve seen you cry alone so that no one will see you pain…What did that bully say to you in third grade Lydia? Do you remember that day?” He asked curiously wiping another tear from his girlfriend’s face.

Lydia opened her mouth and closed it for a minute taking everything in. She couldn’t believe him. No she couldn’t believe herself. She couldn’t believe she’d never seen Stiles, that she didn’t understand what this was sooner. She swallowed heavily and nodded, “He told me to shut up and worry about myself. He said the reason I’m so smart and always trying to impress people is because…because I’m hoping it will make my parents love me.” She whispered ducking her head slightly so he wouldn’t see how much the words still affected her even to this day.

“It was horrible and I barely held it together until I go to the bathroom. I cried for so long and then something weird happened.” She sniffled and glanced back up at him a small smile tugging at her lips. “Someone slid a tin of cookies under the stall door. I was so confused and when I opened it, they were lavender cookies, not like lavender tasting, they were sugar cookies, but in different shades of purple and it made me giggle. And I couldn’t stop smiling the rest of the day. I ate them all.” She said with a short laugh as she met his gaze. The smile on his face and the warmth in his eyes made her pause as realization hit her. “It was you,” she accused eyes wide.

Stiles grinned, “My mom and I. We made them for you. I was going to give them to you myself, but you were crying and I was scared…so I just pushed them under and hide.” He scratched the back of his neck, “I swear it’s not as weird as it sounds.”

Lydia chuckled softly reaching up and wiping her eyes. “It doesn’t sound weird at all.” She was silent for a minute, “Stiles, I know I was awful, and it took me a long time to admit what I was feeling for you, but I hope you know that I am all in this. I love you so much…I can’t ever imagine a day where I don’t love you.” She murmured shifting closer to him. “You love every part of me…you always have.”

Stiles wrapped his arms around her waist, “That’s because no one knows you like I do. No one will ever love you the way I love you Lydia. You’re right; I do love every part of you, all of it. You’re so much more than a gorgeous face. And I need my mom to see that we made it here to this point, because I’ve never been happier in my life despite everything we’ve all been through and…I need her to know.” Stiles swallowed hard to moisten his throat and glanced down for a minute to pull himself together.

“I need her to know I’m okay and I’m happy and I love this life because my mom…she was everything Lydia. She was the only one who never made fun of me or brushed off my feelings as some stupid crush. She always believed in me, in _us_. She’s the one who taught me it isn’t a beautiful face we love, but the person behind it. We love the small things, the things no one else see’s and god I see them all.” He whispered reaching up to cup her cheek again, “And I needed her to know…to see the kind of man I am.”

Lydia shifted closer when she felt Stiles’ hand shake against her cheek. She nodded her tone soothing as she spoke. “I understand.” She told him honestly, “And she should know what an amazing man you turned out to be. Stiles, you gave me the courage to be myself. To not care what anyone else thought of me and I’ll never be able to thank you enough for that. You’re right I did love being that girl who knew everything who was proud of how smart she was and somewhere along the line I lost that.” She pressed her lips together, brows furrowing. “I don’t know why or how even, but you helped me get it back and I’m a better person for it.”

Lydia had changed a lot over the past few years and she owed that in part to him. “And for the record, I see the little things now too. All of them. Every smile, every gesture, you take my breath away on a daily basis by just being you. And Stiles, I’ll love you forever for it.” She turned her head and pressed a kiss against his palm.

Stiles blew out a breath and hugged Lydia to him resting his head on top of hers. “Well this turned a lot more emotional than I expected,” he joked trying to break the seriousness around them.

Lydia’s chuckle was muffled by his chest. She turned her head and glanced at the gravestone. She was silent for a minute, “Do you think your mother would have liked me?”

Stiles ran his hand down her back and smiled, “I think she would have loved you…just like my dad does.”

Lydia grinned, “Your dad does lo—” her words were cut off when she inhaled deeply an odd sensation going through her body. She could feel something. She stiffened in Stiles’ arms and shifted back slowly.

Stiles watched her with a frown, “What is it, what’s wrong Lyds?” He glanced around the cemetery, but nothing looked out of the ordinary.

“I,” she hesitated, “I feel something. Almost like something is here with us…a presences?” She asked uncertain. She shifted and started walking, but paused and turned around when she felt a wave of calm overtake her followed by a burst of warmth and love. Her eyes widened and she caught Stiles’ gaze. “Stiles,” she whispered his name.

He closed the distance between them quickly and gripped her arm worry etched into his features, “Lydia what…” his words trailed off when his gaze met Lydia’s and a spark went through his body. And then he felt it, like a blanket of love surrounding them, warmth radiating from his skin. Tears prickled at Stiles’ eyes. “Mom?” His lips trembled as the word fell from his mouth.

Stiles closed his eyes and he could feel the happiness and peace surrounding him and Lydia, the warmth, the love and then just as quickly as it had come, it was gone and Lydia was teetering in his arms. He caught her body, “Lydia.”

She gripped his arms tightly, “I’m fine,” she whispered slightly winded. “I think…I think I just met your mom.” She opened her eyes and glanced up at Stiles.

A tear slid down his cheek and he nodded, “Yeah,” he replied his voice hoarse, “I think you did. Was this a banshee thing?” He asked quietly.

Lydia shrugged, “I think it might have been a mixture of a few things. You’re mom’s need to connect, my banshee thing…and our connection, the tether connection.” She explained while rubbing a hand up and down his arm, “You okay?”

Stiles nodded once again pulling Lydia into his arms. “I told you she’d love you.” He whispered into her hair.

Lydia smiled, “You did,” she said equally as quiet. They stood like that silently for several minutes holding each other.

Stiles finally broke the silence, “We should go.” He said softly as he shifted back and pressed a hand to the small of Lydia’s back guiding her down the path back to the car.

From the distance Claudia Stilinski hovered beside her gravestone, watching her son guide the young strawberry blonde to the car, opening the door and helping her in. And she smiled, contentment finally settling into her heart. She was glad they finally got their chance and that there was someone who loved her son as much as she always had. As they drove away, her image flickered, it was time to move on, to be at peace and now that she knew her family was taken care of she could finally do that. Claudia Stilinski closed her eyes and let herself be enveloped by warmth all the while knowing that people who belonged together always found their way to each other in the end.


End file.
